Pneumatic clock



(No Model.)

W.'S. JOHNSON.

PNEUMATIC CLOCK.

No. 7,983. Patented se ti 22,1896.

(n2 New 5 vzrsas co more u UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

\VARREN S. JOHNSON, OF MILIVAUKEE, VVISOONSIN.

PNEUMATIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,983, datedSeptember 22, 1896.

Application filed March 3, 1896. Serial No. 581,662. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN S. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofVisconsin, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements inTime-Measuring Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to time-measurin g devices, and particularly tosuch as are actuated or controlled pneumatically.

The invention consists in the method of and apparatus for impartingoscillating motion to a pendulum and maintaining such motion, as will behereinafter explained.

} In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, ofa pendulum and mechanism forimparting motion thereto, and thence to awheel of the register-train; and Fig. 2, a similar view showing theaction of the apparatus in applying or storing up power for oscillatingthe pendulum.

It is well understood that a pendulum put in motion will continue tovibrate for a greater or less length of time, depending, primarily, uponits freedom from friction or resistance of any kind. If, therefore,means be provided for periodically oscillating a pendulum or carrying itto a given point in its arc of movement, it may be kept constantlymoving and made to serve as a means of actuating the time registering orrecording device. Such an arrangement I have illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which A indicates a pendulum suspended bymeans of a thin or flexible plate or hanger-spring a from a two-armedlever B, pivoted at a point between its ends in hangers or supports 0.The lever B stands normally in a horizontal position with one arm incontact with a stop D, and also bearing against a spring E, which isnormally under compression. The opposite end of the lever B carries arounded head or disk F, which bears against a flexible diaphragm Gr,constituting one wall of an eX- pansion-chamber or fluid-pressurechamber II. This chamber receives fluid under pressure through a pipe Ifrom any convenient source or reservoir. The inflow of fluid iscontrolled and restricted by means of a valve J preferably in the formof a conical-pointed screw fitting a seat of like form. From the pipe Ia branch K extends outward and downward, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, andis provided with an orifice or outlet 1), somewhat larger than therestricted inlet. It will be seen that if the outlet 1) be open therewill be no pressure in the chamber H, because-the outlet is of so muchlargercapacity than the inlet that the fluid passes freely through saidoutlet. When ,h0W6V61,l3l16 outlet 1) is closed, the pressure of thefluid entering through pipe I will be received by the diaphragm G as thechamber H fills, and the head or disk F will be pressed downward untilthe farther arm of lever B is forced into contact with the stop D andthe spring E is pressed to the predetermined limit.

Pendulum A carries near its upper end a pivoted pawl L,which engageswith a ratchetwheel M, which may conveniently be made with thirty teeth,though I do not restrict myself to any specific number. It will be seenthat during each movement of the pendulum in one direction the dog orpawl L will ride backward over the long face of a tooth of theratchet-wheel M and engage with the abrupt face thereof, and that uponthe return movement or opposite swing the dog will press against saidupright face and advance said ratchet-wheel a given distance. The teethwill be so proportioned and the pawl will be so located that the slightvariation in the amplitude of the vibrations of the pendulum in theshort time elapsing between the application of power to the pendulumshall not permit the pawl to pass over more than one tooth, nor to failto engage a fresh tooth at each stroke.

N indicates a lever provided with a disk, of rubber, leather, or othersuitable material, adapted to seal the outlet-orifice b, said leverbeing pivoted to an arm or bracket d, and

normally held in position to press the disk 0 against the mouth of pipeK by alight spring a.

Projecting from the side face of wheel M is a pin or stud f, which ineach revolution of the wheel engages the free end of the lever N andcarries said lever away from the end of pipe K, thereby unsealing theorifice b and venting pipe K, and consequently chamber H. Whenever thisventing occurs, the air contained in chamber I-I rushes therefrom andescapes through orifice b, permitting the collapse of the diaphragm Gand allowing the spring E to move the lever B about its pivot andthereby to swing the pendulum A to the limit of its oscillation in onedirection. The pin f and the lever N are so related in location and soproportioned that the movement of the lever away from the pipe K is butmementary, and lasts only during the movement of a single tooth, butthis period is of suflicient duration to permit of the effective actionof spring E. Assuming that the pendulum be of a length to beat secondsand that .the wheel M be provided with thirty teeth,

which will be found a convenient proportion and arrangement, it will beseen that the pipe K will be vented once every minute, and that theventing will last but a second or a portion thereof. It will also beseen that once every minute the pendulum will be thrown to thepredetermined limit of oscillation, and that it will thus be givensufficient amplitude to secure its continued oscillation until anotherimpulse is given to it, and in this way an extremely simple timemeasuring and register actuating mechanism is produced.

It is obvious that the details of the apparatus may be varied somewhatwithout departing from the essential features of my invention. Thus thepawl may be made in the form of a hook and arranged to pull instead ofto push, the spring may be a leaf instead of a spiral spring, the springmay be placed under tension instead of compression, in which case thelever may have but one arm, and other minor modifications within theprovince of the mechanic will readily suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art.

The apparatus may be employed in connection with any means of producingfluidpressure, and, as is well understood in regard to all apparatus ofthis general nature, it may be made to act by suction instead ofpressure by merely reversing the arrangement of parts.

The wheel M or its arbor may give motion to any common registering orrecording in echanism.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith a pendulum and a support therefor capable of oscillation, a stop tolimit the movement of the support in one direction, a spring tending tooscillate the support in one direction, a fluid-pressure device servingto compress the spring and to hold the support normally against itsstop, and means for periodically venting the lluidpressure chamber, andthereby permitting the spring to rock the support.

2. In combination with a pendulum, a spring for moving the pendulum inone direction, a fluid-pressure device for holding the spring normallyunder compression, and means for-periodically venting the pressuredevice, and permitting the spring to oscillate the pendulum.

3. In combination with a pendulum and an Oscillating support or carriertheretor,a spring tending to rock said supportin one direction, a fluidpressure device serving to rock the support in the opposite direction,to compress the spring and to hold it normally under compression, avalve or sealing device serving to seal the pressure-eha1nber againstcommunication with the atmosphere, a ratchetwl1ee1,a pawl or dogconnected with the pen d ulum and serving to rotate said wheel, and alug or projection carried by the wheel and serving to actuate the valveand thereby to vent the fluid-pressure device.

t. In combination with a pendulum A and its resilient hanger a, anoscillating lever B carrying the hanger a, a stop D to limit the play oflever B, a spring E tending to move the lever in one direction, afluid-pressure chamber II having a movable wall G bearing upon one armof lever B, fluid-pressure pipe Iprovided witha restricted port orinletcomm unieating with chamber ll, vent-pipe K provided with orifice Z),lever it provided with valve or disk 0, spring a serving to hold thevalve normally over the orifice l), ratchetwheel M provided with stud orprojection f, and pawl L connected with the pendulum A and serving toimpart rotation to wheel M.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

\VARREN S. JOHNSON.

\Vitnesses:

HORACE A. Doncn, (l. O. BURDINE.

